Tubular conduit system for boilers and the like



G. ROSSI May 22, 1956 TUBULAR CONDUIT SYSTEM FOR BOILERS AND THE LIKE Filed May l0, 1949 INVENToR. GioVfMi Rossi.

mit.

Mchn@ S. SYMKQL o 2,746,432 y TUBULAR CONDUIT SYSTEM FOR BOILERS p f AND THE LIKE g GiovanniRoss, Valle Lomellina, Italy Application May 10, 1949, Serial No. 92,486 Claims priority, application Italy May 11, 1948 1 claim. (orizz-s60) This invention relates totubular conduits and more u United States Patent/ F particularly, to a tubular conduit which may be used in steamboilers, and the like. l

In aboiler of high evaporating capacity, unless the boiler is fed With distilled water, the tubular conduits, notablythe discharge ones, become rapidly coated with scale. In some cases,`the scale can be removed by dissolving it by means of-chemicalagents in accordance with a patented methodof this inventor. However, in boilers which do not receiveA proper careor where very hard water is used, such a scale is apt to become thoroughly insoluble, and mechanical means are required to remove it.`

If scaling is not `possible because the tubes are not readily accessible,`litlbecomes necessary to dismantle the boiler and the `benefits `afforded by a high-output, higheciency boiler (in comparison with Vwith less elicient but more accessible ones) are lost. Accessibility, however, an `hardly be obtained in modern boilers without'altering their basic design. As a matter of fact,

the conventional arrangement of the boiler tubes even renders an inspection of thefinterior ofthe boiler impossible and doesnot permit the use of tools to mechanically remove the scale, unless the boiler is disassembled.

Moreover, when'certain types of fuelare used, the smoke ilues, which are formed by the the iire and auxiliary tubes, often contain deposits which cannotvbe removed by the usual blowing or brushing methods and therefore also `require disassembly. It would therefore be of great advantage to design the fire tubes so as to be easily disassembled from, and reassembled with, the auxiliary discharge'tubes.

A`steam` boiles'rfconstructed with conduit elements in accordancewith the present invention is not subject to the above noted ifaults.. Moreoven, such, a boiler will be smaller in sizethan conventional boilers and easier to maintain. i

.It isan object of the present invention'to provide a tubular. Conduit systemiwherein the interiors of the respective conduits inakingupl the system are readilyV accessible forl cleaning'. H

Itis-another object-of the present inventiontok provide a-tubular conduit-system of the above-noted charact for"steam boilersand the like. A p

It is alsoian object of the present invention to provide ina tubularlconduit system an exceedingly simple means for connecting together a plurality of communicating tubes which extend in a plurality of diiferent directions.

With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consists of a conduit coupling arrangement comprising, in combination, tubular conduit means adapted to contain a ,fluid having a lower temperature than the temperature outside of said conduit means, the tubular conduit means including a lirst set of tubular conduit elements and a second set of tubular conduit elements extending parallel to each other, a first transverse conduit element connecting the conduit elements of the 2,746,432 Patented May 22, 1956 ICC first set of conduit elementsand communicating with the same, a second transverse conduit element connecting Vthe conduit 4elements of the second set of conduit elements andcommunicating with the same, a pair of tubular conduit members having inner ends abutting each other and outer ends secured to and communicating withV the first and second transverse conduit elements, respectively, the rst and second transverse conduit elements being each formed with an opening located opposite the respective tubular conduit member associated therewith, a threaded bolt having a head abutting against the second transverse conduit element in the region of the opening thereof, the bolt passing through the openings in the rst and second transverse conduit elements and through the conduit members, and a nut member fixedly secured to the iirstrtransverse conduit element in the region of the opening in the same and being threadedly engaged by the bolt whereby the tubular conduit 'members are pressed against each other to establish fluid communicating between the rst and second sets of conduit'elements through the irst and second transverse conduit elements and the pair of tubular conduit members, the bolt being cooled by the fluid passing through the conduit means whereby by heat conductionralso the head of said bolt located outside of the' tubular conduit means is cooled.

istic for the invention are set forthV in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and itsmethod of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specic embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational'view of an embodiment of the conduit coupling system of the present invention in readiness for assembly on a boiler;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of said device taken on lines 2-2 of Figs. l and 3 in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal partly sectional View of the devicein combination with a boiler.

Referring now speciically to Figures l to 3, the conduit couplingarrangement of the present invention conf sists of a first set of tubular conduit elements 10 and a second set of tubular conduit elements 28, the two sets 10 and 28 extending parallel to each other. l

The tubular conduit elements of the rst set are fitted with detachable cover 12. Cover 12` covers an opening through which deposits and scale on the inside of the Y conduit element 10 may be removed.

At `the upper end of each Atubular conduit 10 there is provided a tubular element which is connected to a header` 14 which, in turn, is connected by tubes 15 to either the general header or to the steam separator directly. The removable coupling between header i4` and each of the tubular conduit elementsl 10 is obtained by means of threaded assemblies which are cooled by circulating water soV as to withstand high temperatures. More exactly, theL threaded assembly means consists of a bolt whose stem 41.6: goes through the header 14 and is immersed in `the.wa'te r p whiclifcirculates throughthe latter, whereas the threaded A first transverse conduit element 40 communicates with and connects the conduit elements of the first set of conduit elements 10. The second set of tubular conduit elements. 28-are connected, Hrespectively, to an kupper preheader 30 and a second transverse conduit element 32. The transverse element 32 is coupled to the first set of tubular conduit elements by means of a bolt 34 Whose stem goes through transverse element 32, conduit members 36, 38 and transverse element 40, the threaded portion of the stem being threaded into a nut member 35, fitted in the same way as the block 20 referred to above.

The bolt 34 is provided with a gasket. As said bolt 34 is tightened, it locks tubular conduit member 36 against tubular conduit member 38. Members 36 -and 28 are disposed laterally of the transverse conduit elements 32 and 40, their inner ends abutting eachother and their outer ends secured to and communicatingwith the first and second sets of tubular conduit elements, respectively, which are each formed with an opening located opposite the respective member 38, associated therewith.

Members 36 and 3S are kept aligned by a centering sleeve 42 which also serves to align the locking gasket.

The upper head 30 is connected with the circulation vand feeding duct 44 which, in turn, leads to the general header or to the steam separator. Header 30 is provided with detachable covers 45. By removing the covers, access is gained to the header, and it is thus possible to clean both the header and the conduit element 28. Header 30 is conn nected to pipes 44 by means of bolts 46 whose stems, as

foregoing plainly shows that cleaning and scaling are considerably simplified with the conduits of the present invention, as no disassembly is required and the scraping tool can be thrust into the conduits by merely removing covers 12 and 45. If, in some particular instance, it might be necessary to disconnect the rst and second sets of conduit elements 10 and 28 to clean them separately, they can be easily and quickly re-assembled.

The invention furthermore affords a notable simplification in boiler construction, as a vertical tube boiler of the multiple inner flue type can now be constructed by merely piecing together on a closed pattern a given number of elements. ln this type of boiler the furnace is centrally disposed and surrounded by the conduits. Arrows in Fig. 3 show the direction followed by the hot gases. After passing through an initial ring-shaped passage 50 between conduits 10 and 28, the gases are conveyed either to a discharge outlet or to a second passage S2 (see Fig, 3) existing between the outer sides of conduits 28 and the boiler outer casing C. Casing C consists of a number of ring-shapedunits, each made up of two or more collapsible sections which can be removed without disassembling the other units forming casing C so as to afford easy cleaning of the boiler.

As can be seen in Fig. 3, the passage 52 is connected through a ring-shaped cleft S4 to a header chamber 55 which surrounds the whole casing C. A coupling 56, providing an outlet for exhaust gases, is fitted to header chamber 55. By this system, the hot gases, besides being evenly distributed along the wall formed by conduits 28, are distributed over almost the full length of the Wall.

In order to increase the heat transfer rate, a proper e gas turbulence must be obtained. In Fig. 3 such a result is achieved by means of a pipe fcoil 53 which follows a helicoidal pattern and works as a pre-heater. If necessary, extra ttings similar to the one shown as 53 can be arranged in passage S0 as well, by installing them on special, removable trestles or frames to ensure easy cleaning.

Header chamber 55 is topped by a ring-shaped partition wall 58 providing tightness between passages 50 and 52 and to support an annular part 60 which supports cover 62. The ring-shaped partition wall referred to above may also be used to support a layerof insulating material or a gasket 64 to provide tightness among all the different units which casing C consists of.

I claim:

A conduit coupling arrangement comprising, in combination, tubular conduit means adapted to contain a fluid having a lower temperature than the temperature outside of said conduit means, said tubular conduit means including a rst set of tubular .conduit elements and a second set of tubular conduit `elements extending parallel to each other, a first transverse conduit element connecting the conduit elements of said lrst set of conduit elements and communicating with the same, a second transverse conduit element connectingthe yconduit elements of said second set of conduit elements and communicating with the same, a pair of tubular conduit members having inner ends abutting eachother and outer ends secured to and communicating with said first and second transverse conduit elements, respectively, said first and second transverse conduit elements being each formed with an opening located opposite the respective tubular conduit member associated therewith; a threaded bolt lhaving a head abutting against said second transverse conduit element in the region of said vopening thereof, said bolt passing through said openings in said first and second transverse conduit elements and through said conduit members; and a nut member xedly secured to said rst transverse conduit element in the region of said opening in the same and being threadedly engaged by `said bolt whereby said tubular conduit members are pressed against each other to establish uid communication between said first and second sets of conduit elements through said rst and second transverse conduit elements and said pair of tubular conduit members, said bolt being cooled by the uid passing through said conduit means whereby by heat conduction also said head of vsaid bolt located outside of said tubular conduit means is cooled.

References Cited in the le of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 122,606 Harrison Jan. 9, 1872 215,798 Corliss May 27, 1879 526,089 Savill Sept. 18, 1894 541,897 Taylor July 2, 1895 683,385 Cooper Sept. 24, 1901 1,633,674 Murray JuneV 28, 1927 1,827,064 Bishop Oct. 13, 1931 2,321,417 Pepersack June 8, 1943 

